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This Forum Has Changed A Lot

04-06-2014, 08:36 AM

I used to be all over this forum in 2010, 2011, and 2012.... then I fell off a bit for a while. Apparently I'm not the only one. A ton of people that used to be big wigs on this forum haven't been seen since 2012 (rapture? ha!).

Back then you could post a thread and it'd have 20+ replies within an hour. This place was BUMPING! Now if you get two replies in a day you're lucky.

I'm in no way abandoning this place but I can't help but point this out. Jesus, they don't even have a proper moderator on staff deleting the MASSIVE spam of threads about movie tickets or marriage counseling that are clearly done by a bot.

Not to sound like a hipster but... this place has changed and isn't quite as populous as it once was. Is the paleo/primal thing just sorta... dying?

March 1st 2010: 308lbs | CW: 219lbs / 18.5%BF | New Goal: 16% BF
Male. 28. 6'4''. Currently working on them muscles and strength! "My chest hair caught fire when I was fighting a bear with a flamethrower, how do I get my hair back?” - Rivvin

I have found a pretty similar thing on a lot of the other paleo websites....but a quick google search will show that the overall acceptance of paleo has gone through the roof. With the addition of Crossfit pumping it up, seeing it commonly in papers, it has hit a place of widespread understanding of what it is, relative to a few years ago.

This all said, this particular site does not have the number of posters it used to. At times that can be frustrating, but for me I didn't always like it back then. What you ACTUALLY had were about 5-6 people that posted about a dozen times a day, at least. What this meant was that any and all discussion was taken over by them, an OP was usually ignored, and they would spend the next 17 pages of threads trashing each other.

Most of these posters are no longer on here. When I look at the number viewing though, it is almost always in the same area I always remember it as.

And even if MDA went down totally tomorrow, it does not speak to the broader trend of paleo growing exponentially. My local bookstore has an entire bookstand (there are maybe 3 in the whole store. Another has ALL of the "Divergent" books) that is nothing but paleo/ancestral books. 2 years ago, that wasn't going to happen.

I just wish a lot more people that view would post. It would really help the discussion.....all the while though, it is just a truism that the kind of person MOST likely to do paleo (younger,educated, active, outdoorsy people according to many newspaper articles) is ALSO the least likely to want to post on an internet forum of any kind. It's just the reality.

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I don't spend nearly as much as time as I did for one big reason. There are a number of very strong personalities that think they know it all, shout their point of views frequently and loudly, then mock anyone that dares to question them. They say they have science on their side but honestly, even the experts admit they do not know much and most of what is posted here and on the internet is theory. Nothing seems to be true 100% of the time for 100% of the people. Because we all know men and women are 99% the same and age doesn't matter.

There are times this place feels like junior high school. That being said, thare some amazing people here and they are the reason I stay.

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^^^ I remember an ACTUAL thread, where the OP simply asked whether frozen fruit was acceptable, mostly for cost reasons....

About 3 pages in, we had 4 of our usual combatants from back then (about 2 years ago) engaged in all out war. We had the Peat people, a Kruse person, a PB 100% person, and a guy that had a big propensity of pointing out biochem cycles, all of them name calling.

After about 10 pages, there was the "C word" in play, as well as several references to Hitler. One person had brought in racial slurs, and was having a side conversation about American progressive liberal racial policy, accusing the other person of being their shill.

This thread went on for about 20 pages before it died. On my old computer I had it bookmarked until it got too old to archive.

So no, I don't really miss that.

"The soul that does not attempt flight; does not notice its chains."

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I don't post much or share my experience b/c I've been told innumerable times that I must be mistaken, stupid or a liar to say that I had to cut carbs significantly to lose the weight I struggled to lose for years. Of course, those who implied this were much younger than I and usually male. Clearly they know more about post-menpausal female bodies than those that live in them. There are those who think their way is the best and only way, and that their experience counts for more. They are also louder than me. So I read a bit, take what is useful and rarely post anymore.

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Good to know. I'm not really saying it's a bad thing. But do find it interesting.

March 1st 2010: 308lbs | CW: 219lbs / 18.5%BF | New Goal: 16% BF
Male. 28. 6'4''. Currently working on them muscles and strength! "My chest hair caught fire when I was fighting a bear with a flamethrower, how do I get my hair back?” - Rivvin

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It is like having a family reunion and a high school reunion all rolled into one, and on a regular basis. Everybody is here, from the class clown to the wise old uncle, and heaven knows what new date the promiscuous cousin will bring along this time. I stay for all the folks I like cause they are worth it. And I am still an optimist at heart - never know what new real friend might be arriving tomorrow. Or what helpful new/old advice - I am still gleaning useful info. And the encouragement never, ever gets old.

I have a mantra that I have spouted for years... "If I eat right, I feel right. If I feel right, I exercise right. If I exercise right, I think right. If I think right, I eat right..." Phil-SC

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I have. Many times. Not b/c I think others should do what I've done but b/c my experience might be useful to those who struggled as I did. Why isn't my n-1 as valuable as yours? You jump on almost anything I say. Why is that?

Starting Weight: 197.5
Current Weight: 123
Far healthier!

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I have. Many times. Not b/c I think others should do what I've done but b/c my experience might be useful to those who struggled as I did. Why isn't my n-1 as valuable as yours? You jump on almost anything I say. Why is that?

I never said it wasn't. I jumped on your first post because it was trolling nonsense. You were picking a fight with anyone who would bite. There is no place for that here. Aside from this interaction, I've never had any interactions with you here before, so I don't even know what your experience is. Hopefully your other posts aren't as passive aggressive.

And honestly n=1 experiences are not science. More often than not, there are a million variables to success. We're all here for optimal health and should work together, not start out a post bashing people different from them as you did in your first post.

More often than not, the "young males" you refer to are posting study links and basic science in order to point out that there is more at play than just the one angle that the n=1 people are approaching it from. And more often than not, those young men are met with "what do you know about a woman's body" crap. People are people. We're all going to work 99% the exact same. You aren't a special snowflake. For some reason the older women who seem to think they know everything are the ones who will fight tooth and nail that they are right rather than open their minds to the possibilitythat they are at least partially wrong. Anyone who believes 100% that what they think is the only possible right answer is in a sad state of mind. It isn't just carbs. It isn't just calories. It isn't just hormones. It's everything all rolled in to one. BUT...all of those things don't supercede basic science.

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A lot of the spam is automated. It can be difficult to programmatically tell the difference between it and a real person. Not all the moderators around here are paid so you can't fault them for enjoying their weekends and not catching the spam. Heck, maybe none of the moderators are paid.

I know a large contingent of 2010-2012 forum posters left to join an invitation-only yahoo group. I was not able to use the yahoo group with my ancient computer so I found it difficult to be a member. Also, that group seemed to talk more about people moving or going on vacation or other friendly things and I kind of lost interest as I don't really know these people in real life so the intimacy of their daily lives seemed odd to me.

Female, 5'3", 50, Max squat: 202.5lbs. Max deadlift: 225 x 3.

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Haven't been here that long, but I've already learned so much about nutrition and healthy living. And I don't leave Texas too often, so it's cool being able to interact with people from all over the US and other parts of the world. I've even met two people on here in person and had a great time with both of them. Most of the hate-fests seem to happen in the Nutrition forum, so I don't post there too much.

In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.

This message has been intercepted by the NSA, the only branch of government that listens.

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Haven't been here that long, but I've already learned so much about nutrition and healthy living.

Same here. Learned a lot from nice people who took time to help. Very appreciated! And Internet is Internet. It's normal to come across some rude people, just like one will in life. I think this forum is great and I'm thankful for it.

Paleo since April 2013 for health reasons.

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I don't spend nearly as much as time as I did for one big reason. There are a number of very strong personalities that think they know it all, shout their point of views frequently and loudly, then mock anyone that dares to question them. They say they have science on their side but honestly, even the experts admit they do not know much and most of what is posted here and on the internet is theory. Nothing seems to be true 100% of the time for 100% of the people. Because we all know men and women are 99% the same and age doesn't matter.

There are times this place feels like junior high school. That being said, thare some amazing people here and they are the reason I stay.

This reply pretty much expresses my reasons in general for staying away from forums.

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I pretty much only stay in the journals now. The general forum is by and large too much of a hate fest for my tastes. "Your experience does not match mine exactly, so FUCK YOU!!!!"

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, steak in one hand, chocolate in the other, yelling "Holy F***, What a Ride!"
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